The present invention relates to a method for treatment of surfaces, by which the surface is successively brought into contact with at least two liquids, as well as to a system for carrying out this method.
Examples of such methods, amongst others, include galvanic metal deposition or electroplating for the production of metal coatings via the anodic oxidation of aluminum with materials, since it requires the successive treatment by several baths for the production of secure coatings, such as a pickling bath, degreasing bath and galvanic bath. Heretofore the treatment took place by immersion of the surfaces to be treated, and of the work pieces, adjacent to one another in the different baths which are arranged side by side in one working area. Since, for example, the sulphuric acid, alkaline or alkali cyanide baths give off vapors particularly during their most advantageous heating, which vapors harmfully charge the breathing air, the working area must be comparatively large and must have a suction system which can provide a rapid change of air. The suction and removal of the heated area air causes a considerable loss in the heating energy.
Moreover the bath liquids are subject to an additional consumption by means of their contact with the air and the immersion of the work pieces from a preceding bath. The removal of consumed bath liquid constitutes a considerable load on the waste or sewage system.
A further difficulty arises with the known methods if larger work pieces, such as for example, ten meter-long current contact rails for power plants, are only to be treated and electroplated, respectively, on one portion of their surfaces. The covering of the surface parts which are not to be treated and the subsequent removal of the covering materials is extremely expensive. It is one object of the present invention to find a method for the liquid treatment of surfaces which avoids the previously-mentioned disadvantages and difficulties of the heretofore known processes, i.e. a method by which the surrounding area air and the waste sewage system are only slightly loaded and which may be carried out by a particularly compact and possibly mobile process system.